Liquid dispensing apparatus



Oct. 24, 1939. J, N ANAGNO 2,176,947

LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 15, 1938 2 Sheets-sheet l Oct. 24, 1939. 1. N. ANAGNO LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Feb. l5, 1958 2 Sheets-Shea?l 2 Patented Oct. 24, 1939 f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

' This invention relates to beverage dispensing apparatus and particularly to apparatus for use in storing and dispensing beer and other carbonated liquids.

The object of the invention is to improve the construction and operation of apparatus of the class referred to, particularly with respect to the manually operated faucet by which the beer or other liquid is drawn from the apparatus; with respect to the control of the pressure and flow of the liquid asit reaches and passes through the delivery faucet during the operation of making a delivery, and with respect to the temperature and pressure at which all of the static liquid contents of the apparatus is normally maintained.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved delivery faucet for use in dispensing beer and other carbonated liquids.

To these ends I have provided improvements in-apparatus of the class described as set forth in vthe following description, the several novel featuresof the invention being separately pointed out and dened in the claims at the close thereof.

In the accompanying/drawings:

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectional View of a delivery faucet constructed in accordance with this invention showing the same mounted in a wall of a refrigerator or the like.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Figure 4 is a detail hereinafter referred to.

Figure 5 illustrates an alternative construction.

The dispensing apparatus herein illustrated comprises a delivery faucet I mounted in the back wall II of a refrigerator compartment Ha which may be provided within a bar or counter of which the wall Il forms part. It is customary to provide a cooling unit (not shown) Within the compartment I la, said unit being controlled and operated to maintain therein a desired predetermined temperature. The compartment IIa is provided for the reception of a barrel containing beer or other carbonated liquid, said barrel being provided with an outlet that is connected with the inlet I2 of the faucet I [l byv eight or nine feet of metal tubing I3 having an inside diameter of 'live thirty-seconds (Sig) of an inch, or

Y thereabouts'. The improved faucet illustrated in Figs 1 to 4,

inclusive, comprises a body consisting of a straight tubular shank I4 to the outer end of which is rigidly attached a hollow head I' and iwhose inner end portion is exteriorly threaded (cl. 22S-5") to receive upon it a nut I6 and a coupling mem'- ber I1.

The shank 4 of the faucet body extends through a hole formed through the rear wall II of the refrigerator and is xedly clamped therein by means of the nut IE, While the coupling member I'I serves to xedly clamp the flanged end of delivery tube I3 against the outer face of an abutmentl annulus or bushing I8 that is tightly fitted within the inner end of the tubular shank I4. The outer end of the tubular shank I4 is formed with a counterbore I9 into which is forcibly fitted one end of a tubular extension formed adjacent to its outer end with a longitudinalV slot 2|, Fig. 4i,y that is opened at one end.

Upon the outside of the extension 20 is telescopically fitted a nozzle element 22 which is free to be moved endwise thereon, the outlet end portion of said element being directed downn wardly as shown in Fig. 1. This nozzle element 22- has rigidly xed to it one end of a tube 23 which extends therefrom through slot 2l of extension 20 into the latter and thence longitudinally into the tubular shank I4.

Through engagement with the opposite side walls of the slot 2| the tube 23 prevents rotation of the nozzle element on extension 20 but, as will be clear, said nozzle element is free to be moved endwise thereon. In other words the nozzle element' and extension are telescopically associated and splined together so that they cannot rotate relatively.

The inner end portion of the tubular shank I4 of the faucet body is made interiorly with a relatively large cylindrical valve chamber 24 whose outer end is connected by a relatively small port 25 with the inner end of the extension 20. The difference in the diameters of chamber 24 and port 25 provides an annular shoulder or step which is formed as a seat 26 for an elongate valve member 21 slidably mounted within chamber 24. Normally the elongate valve member 21 is yield-- ingly urgedrendwise toward and against seat 26 by a coiled spring 28 disposed Within chamber 24 between the abutment annulus or bushing I8 and the proximate end of said Valve member 2l. When the valve member 21 occupies this closed position its' outer" end is iny close proximity to the inner end of the tube 23 and it will therefore be clear that if the delivery nozzle 22 is manually or otherwise forced inwardly on the tubular extension 207 said inner end Will engage the valve member 21 and shove the same longitudinally away from its seat 26` thereby opening the faucet andv permitting the beer or the like to flow under pressure from tube I3 into chamber 24, around valve member 21 and thence through port 25 and extension 20 into nozzle 22 from which it discharges downwardly into the glass or other vessel placed in position to receive it.

When the nozzle 22 is relieved of the pressure by which it was forced inwardly to open the faucet the pressure of the beer against valve member 21 acts to quickly thrust the latter endwise into position against its seat 26 and during this closing movement of the valve member the latter acts through the tube 23 to quickly return the nozzle 22 to its outermost position again. When the valve member 21 and nozzle 22 are thus snapped back and restored to their normal positions again by the pressure of the beer or the like, the tube 23 serves as a vent through which air is free to pass from the outside atmosphere into the port 25 thereby permitting said port, extension 20 and nozzle 22 to be quickly evacuated'or emptied of all beer or the like. This provides a quick draining feature which avoids dripping after delivery and tends to maintain that portion of the interior of the faucet that is outside of valvemember 21 sanitarily dry while not in use.

TheY nczzle'22 is made upon its upper side with an upstandinglug 29, Figs. 1 and 2, to cooperate as an abutment shoulder with a radial arm depending from a transversely disposed spindle 3| which extends through, and is journaledl in, bearings provided at opposite sides of the hollow head lI5 of the faucet body. y This spindle 31| is provided with an upwardly extending arm 32 that isv outside ofthe head I5'and which is utilized as a lever by means of which the spindle 3| is manually rotated in a. direction to open the faucet. The spindle 3I is Secured within the bearings provided for it in the head I5 by means of a nut 33 that is screwed on to the threaded free end of the spindle as shown in Fig. 2. As will be clear the arm 32 and spindle 3| constitute a manually operated nozzle adjusting member or lever, the :arm 30 of said member or lever providing a radial abutment Shoulder to cooperate with a radial abutment shoulder that is provided on the nozzle by the lug 29.

The elongate valve member 21 is, as shown in Fig. 3, circular or cylindrical throughout the greater portion of its length but its opposite ends are made hemi-spherical so that each of said ends is of streamline form which avoids agitation. Also, vthe said valve member is slidably supportedl centrally within the cylindrical chamber 24 by means of a plurality of rails 34 occupying longitudinal grooves formed upon the exterior of thevalve .member 21. These rails may be short lengths of wire slidably engaging the interior surface of the tubular shank I4 and serving to maintain the valve member and the tubular shank I4 relatively concentric with segmental passageways 35 for the beer between said two parts. In other words, the body of the valve member 21 is made less in diameter than the chamber 24 and is maintained concentric with the latter by the rails 34. 'Ihis provides a flow-retarding'constriction within the faucet :and surrounding the valve member 21 which, together with the streamline form of the valve member, avoids excessive foam. In practice I have found that for al1 ordinary pressures under which the beer is delivered, the best effects are secured if the space between the exterior of valvev member 21 and the interior ofthe wall surrounding chamber 24 measure about fifteen thousands (.015") of an inch.

When the arm or lever 32 is swung downwardly toward the left, Fig. 1, the arm 3U on spindle 3I acts against lug 29 to shove the nozzle 22 inwardly until its movement in that direction is arrested by a resilient abutment ring 36 mounted within the outer end of the tubular shank I4.

The hollow head I5 is made upon its outer side with a cylindrical socket 31 within which is frictionally fitted one end of hood 38 which incloses the delivery end of nozzle 22 but in such manner that the latter is free to be moved back 'and forth on extension 2i)v as above described.

In the form of this invention illustrated in Fig. 5 I provide a coiled spring 39 mounted upon the extension 2D between the outer end of the tubular shank I4 of the faucet body and the inner end of the nozzle 22. The spindle 3I of thenozzle operating lever 32 is formed, outside of hollow head I5,`with a flange 40 that is notched to providertwo abutment shoulders 4I and 42 to cooperatewith a stop pin or stud 43 projecting from head I 5. Normally the spring 39 yieldingly holds nozzle 22 at the limit of its movement toward the leftinV Fig. 5 with shoulder 4I abutting one side of the stop pin or stud 43. To open the faucet the lever 32 is swung downwardly t0- ward the left and its spindle shifts nozzle 22 inwardly until` shoulder 42vengages the pin or stud 43. At the conclusion vof the delivery the operator merely releases the lever 32 with the result that the parts are restored to their normal positions by the pressure of the beer acting through the valve member supplemented by the pressure of spring 39` against the inner end of nozzle 22. n y Y It will be observed from Fig. 1 that the chamber 24, port 25extension 2|] and nozzle 22 provide the faucet with an approximatelyvstraight delivery conduit which is free and clear of abrupt angles which would tendto cut the beer and thereby cause foaming and waste. Furthermore, it will bel observed that the valve member 21 serves as a pressure reducing valve because of the elongate constricted passageway provided be-y tween said member and the surrounding wall of chamber 24. AAlso, the Valve centralizing rails 34 insure proper cooperation between the valve member and its seat at all times and prevent any lateral. displacement or fluttering of the valve.

It is a feature of advantage to the above described ventilating construction that when the nozzle 22 is shoved inwardly the inner end of the vent tube 23 bears against the outer end of the valve member as it pushes the latter into its open position with the result that the inner end of the vent tube 23 is closed by the valve member while a delivery is being made so that the beer is prevented from. entering or passing through said vent tube.

What I claim is:

1.'A liquid dispensing apparatus of the character described comprising a delivery conduit made with an elongate valve chamber Vof relatively large cross-sectional area and into one en'd of which beer or the like is'supplied under pressure; an outlet port at the opposite end of said' chamber; a valve seat within said chamber surrounding the inlet end of said port; an elongate valve member slidably supported independently and centrally within said chamber so that it is movable longitudinally toward and from said seat and normally urged independently endwise against the latter by the pressure of the beer or the like to close said port, the cross-sectional area of said valve member being predeterminedly less than the cross-sectional area of said chamber thereby to provide an elongate constricted pressure-reducingpassageway through which the beer or the like is forced from the inlet end of said chamber to said outlet port when said valve member is shifted longitudinally away from said seat, and independently supported means that is manually operable to adjust said member axially away from said seat by abutting engagement with one end of said member thereby to open said port.

2. A liquid dispensing apparatus of the character described constructed in accordance with claim l and wherein a plurality of longitudinal supporting rails are provided between said valve member and the wall of said delivery conduit to maintain said member centrally disposed within said conduit.

3. A liquid dispensing apparatus of the character described comprising a delivery conduit made with an elongate valve chamber of relatively large cross-sectional area and into one end of which beer or the like is supplied under pressure; an outlet port at the opposite end of said chamber; a valve seat within said chamber surrounding the inlet end of said port; an elongate valve member slidably supported independently and centrally within said chamber so that it is movable longitudinally toward and from said seat and normally urged independently endwise against the latter by the pressure of the beer or the like to close said port, the intermediate portion of said valve member being cylindrical, the opposite ends of said valve member being hemi-spherical, and the cross-sectional area of said valve member being pre-determinedly less than the cross-sectional area of said chamber thereby to provide an elongate constricted pressure-reducing passageway through which the beer or the like is forced from the inlet end of said chamber to said outlet port when said valve member is shifted longitudinally away from said seat, and independently supported means that is manually operable to adjust said member axially away from said seat by abutting engagement with one end of said member thereby to open said port.

4. A faucet of the character described comprising a body including a tubular shank having an inner end portion formed interiorly with a valve chamber of relatively large cross-sectional area to the inner end of vwhich beer or the like is supplied under pressure; means for securing said shank to a supporting xture; an outlet port at the outer end of said chamber; a valve seat within said chamber surrounding the inlet end of said port; an elongate valve member slidably supported centrally within said chamber so that it is movable longitudinally toward and from said seat and normally urged endwise against the latter by the pressure of the beer or the like to close said port, the cross-sectional area of said valve member being predeterminedly less than the cross-sectional area of said chamber thereby to provide an elongate constricted pressure-reducing passageway through which the beer or the like is forced from the inlet end of said chamber to said outlet port when said valve member is shifted longitudinally away from said seat; a nozzle element telescopically engaged with and splined to said body, and into which the beer or the like is delivered from said outlet port, said nozzle member being slidable on said body toward and from said valve member; means carried by said nozzle element and extending into said outlet port so as to engage and open said valve member when moved inwardly with said nozzle element, and means through which said nozzle element is manually shifted inwardly thereby to open said valve member and effect delivery of beer or the like from said nozzle.

5. A faucet of the character described constructed in accordance with claim 4 and wherein the means carried by said nozzle element through which the latter acts to open said valve member when shifted inwardly, consists of a vent tube Whose inner end communicates with the interior of said body adjacent to the outer end of said valve member and whose outer end communicates with the outside atmosphere.

6. A faucet of the character described constructed in accordance with claim 4 and wherein said last mentioned element of claim 4 consists of a lever pivotally supported by said body and cooperatively associated with said nozzle element so that when swung in one direction said element is adjusted inwardly to open said valve.

7. A faucet of the character described comprising a body having a delivery conduit extending therethrough; means for securing said body to a supporting xture; a valve member adjustably mounted within said conduit for controlling the latter; a nozzle element movably mounted upon said body into which the beer or the like is delivered from said conduit when said valve is open, and means through which movement of said nozzle element on said body operates said valve.

J OI-IN N. ANAGNO. 

